Open Access
ARTICLE
SIMULATION OF EMBOLIZATION PARTICLE TRAJECTORIES
Nessa Johnson, John Abraham*, Zach Helgeson, Michael Hennessey
University of St. Thomas, School of Engineering, St. Paul, MN, 55105-1079, USA
* Corresponding Author: email:
Frontiers in Heat and Mass Transfer 2011, 2(2), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.5098/hmt.v2.2.3006
Abstract
A numerical simulation has been performed on the hemodynamics associated with embolization procedures. The flow geometry includes a multibranch artery which is upstream of a targeted tumor. During the procedure, drug-eluting particles are released into the local arterial geometry and are
carried downstream by the flowing blood. The intention is to cause embolization of a daughter artery which feeds the tumor. As particles are
injected into the blood stream, and as the embolization progresses, it is possible for the particulates to substantially alter the blood flow in the main
artery. This alteration may lead to a maldistribution of blood flow and/or a diversion of the particulates from their intended target. The diversion of
drug-eluting particulates may become severe as the particles accumulate near the targeted tumor. A consequence of the alteration of flow patterns is
that diverted particulates may be sent to untargeted tissue which is otherwise healthy. The simulations completed here were verified with benchtop
fluid-flow experiments. The results of the study suggest that late in the embolization procedure, a significant diversion of particulates occurs. Also,
it was discovered that the degree of diversion was sensitive to the injection location in the upstream artery and the particle size but not to the injection
velocity.
Keywords
Cite This Article
Johnson, N., Abraham, J., Helgeson, Z., Hennessey, M. (2011). SIMULATION OF EMBOLIZATION PARTICLE TRAJECTORIES.
Frontiers in Heat and Mass Transfer, 2(2), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.5098/hmt.v2.2.3006